Turkey slammed for slowing down reform again [EN]
February 12, 2009 – 1:48 pmAs it has done on various occasions over the last three years, the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee yesterday (11 February) expressed concern about a “continuous slowdown of the reform process” in Turkey, in a resolution adopted by overwhelming majority.
On Wednesday, members of the committee adopted a draft version of the Parliament’s annual resolution on Turkey’s progress towards accession, prepared by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP-ED). The text, approved by 65 MEPs amid four votes against and one abstention, will be voted upon in plenary in March.
The nine-page resolution is accompanied by 103 pages featuring 188 amendments, so heated debate and fierce negotiations should be expected.
MEPs regret that freedom of expression is still not fully protected in Turkey. They also regret that an initial effort to reform the constitution degenerated into a debate over the headscarf issue and further antagonised society.
In a series of sentences starting with the word “regrets”, MEPs voiced concerns about Turkey’s lack of progress in putting in place an anti-corruption strategy, as well as in establishing civilian supervision of the military and parliamentary oversight of military and defence policy.
EurActiv: Turkey slammed for slowing down reform again
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